A Bastion is a location that belongs to a player character: a home, a stronghold, and often a town or even a city that the characters nurture and develop over the course of a campaign. A Bastion offers the characters temporary refuge from the dangerous world of adventuring, and it provides opportunities for a character to craft magic items, conduct research, harvest poisons, build ships, and carry out a broad range of other activities. There’s no need to choose between going on adventures and commanding a Bastion; you can do both at once. A Bastion has special facilities that generate in-game benefits, and these facilities can also undertake projects while you are otherwise preoccupied.
Gaining a Bastion
One player has already asked me about starting a bastion, so the party will gain access to
some of this feature from the start of the campaign.
Every Bastion contains basic and special facilities, which encompass everything from simple shacks to fantastical menageries and magical laboratories (see “Bastion Facilities” below). A character can add basic facilities to their Bastion at any time, spending money and time depending on the facility. Once you all reach level 5, each bastion gains two special facilities; in the world, the bastion needs time to undergo construction for the facilities you have asked for. A character can add additional special facilities on reaching levels 9, 13, and 17.
Bastion Turns
As time passes in the campaign, characters take Bastion turns to reflect the activity occurring in their Bastions, whether or not the characters are present. A Bastion turn occurs every 7 days of in-game time. On a Bastion turn, a character can issue orders to the special facilities in their Bastion or issue the “Maintain” order to the entire Bastion (see “Orders” below).
How They Work
By default, Bastion turns occur every 7 days, giving you all regular opportunities to issue orders to the Bastion and reap the benefits of doing so. Here are some typical situations:
- The characters are on a long journey away from their Bastions. After the characters have been away for 7 days, you might say, “Time for a Bastion turn. Since you’re not there, resolve the Maintain order for your Bastions.” Then roll for Bastion Events.
- The characters spend 7 days or more in their Bastions between adventures. You might say, “You have six weeks to spend in your Bastions. Go ahead and resolve six Bastion turns.”
- The characters return to their Bastions in the midst of an adventure. You might say, “You have just enough time to issue a new order, if you like. Take a Bastion turn before you leave again in the morning.”
- The characters are adventuring near their Bastions and are spending every night in their Bastions. You might say, “It’s been a week since your last Bastion turn, so you can take a new one now.”
If you all end up having long periods of downtime between outings, I might call for a Bastion turn every month instead of every 7 days to prevent any snowballing. The recommendation from WotC is to allow about six to eight Bastion turns per level, but we’ll see how it looks at our table.
If you are adventuring at a breakneck pace and gaining a level every week, I will still keep Bastion turns at 7 days and you’ll have no time to enjoy the benefits of your Bastions; we never have a good answer for taking things slow, so I’m going to encourage you all to slow down with this mechanic for anyone who is interested in Bastions.
Bastion Points
Each special facility in a Bastion generates Bastion Points (BP) during a Bastion turn, depending on the facility and the Bastion order issued to that facility. You all are responsible for tracking how many Bastion Points your character has, and Bastion Points can’t be transferred between characters or their Bastions for the sake of balance, even if your Bastions are combined.
You can spend Bastion Points to acquire magic items from your Bastion or to receive certain other special rewards. Bastion Points are an abstraction, reflecting the benefits characters accumulate when their Bastions are operating. Exactly how amassing and spending Bastion Points leads to a character acquiring a magic item is up to your imagination: Perhaps the Bastion hirelings spread the word that the character is looking for a particular item. With sufficient time and goodwill built up in the community, the item finds its way to the Bastion as a gift. Perhaps Bastion hirelings work tirelessly to create the item the character desires. As long as it makes sense, any flavor works for me.
Accumulating Bastion Points
When you issue orders to special facilities in your Bastions, those facilities generate Bastion Points. (Basic facilities don’t generate Bastion Points). Each special facility description (see “Special Facilities” later in this document) indicates the number of Bastion Points the facility generates when it completes an order. If a character issues the “Maintain” order to the Bastion, each special facility instead generates 1d4 Bastion Points. Special facilities that have been shut down or lost their hirelings because of an event don’t generate Bastion Points while they’re out of commission.
You can use gold to influence the rate at which facilities generate Bastion Points. Spending 25 GP when issuing a Bastion order to a facility allows you to roll the die for that facility’s Bastion Point generation twice and use the higher result. You can’t use this option when issuing the “Maintain” order to the Bastion.
Acquiring Magic Items
Each time you gain a level, you can spend your Bastion Points to acquire a single magic item. Any magic item acquired in this fashion must be approved by me. The Bastion Point cost of each magic item is based on the item’s rarity, as shown in the Spending Bastion Points table below. If a rarity has a level prerequisite, you must be that level or higher to get the item. You must also be in your Bastion to claim a magic item acquired with Bastion Points. If you are away from the Bastion, the magic item remains secure in the Bastion until you arrive to claim it.
Magic Item BP Cost
| Magic Item |
Level Prereq. |
Cost |
| Common |
None |
20 BP |
| Uncommon |
None |
70 BP |
| Rare |
Level 9 |
250 BP |
| Very Rare |
Level 13 |
350 BP |
| Legendary |
Level 17 |
700 BP |
Other Uses of Bastion Points
I will allow a variety of different ways to use your Bastion Points. Below are several examples, but I may extend this list or alter it depending on what you all ask for or the circumstances of the campaign:
- On gaining a level, you can spend 10 Bastion Points to ensure that word of your heroic deeds spreads throughout the region around their Bastion. For the next 7 days, you have Advantage on all Charisma checks while in nations near your Bastion.
- If your character dies outright or would receive a debilitating injury instead of death, you can spend 100 Bastion Points to return to life in their Bastion at the next dawn (you can flavor this a number of ways; you were rushed back to your Bastion for medical attention, or you set up a magical contingency spell for the occasion, as long as it makes sense I don’t mind re-flavoring). After spending BP in this way, you can’t do so again until gaining at least 1 level.
Fall of a Bastion
If you issue no orders to your Bastion for a number of consecutive Bastion turns equal to the character’s level (typically because your character is dead or otherwise out of commission), the hirelings abandon the Bastion and the site is eventually looted. If you return later, you have the option to start a new Bastion, perhaps building it amid the ruins of the old one. You can give up your Bastion anytime, releasing the Bastion’s hirelings and abandoning the location. The divested Bastion is quickly vacated, eventually looted, and might even be burned to the ground. The character has the option of starting a new Bastion elsewhere. In either case, you can work to establish a new Bastion and determine how it comes into being. Use the Special Facility Acquisition table to determine how many special facilities come with it. The new Bastion also starts with two basic facilities (one Cramped and one Roomy) of your choice.
I may decide a Bastion is damaged or completely destroyed if a planned game event would do harm to your Bastion and nothing prevents this harm from taking place. This will likely be an event that was foreshadowed or led up to, and would be an in-session activity.
Bastion Events
At the end of any Bastion turn in which a character issues the “Maintain” order to their Bastion, I will roll once on the Bastion Events table. If an event occurs, I will read the event (described in the sections following the table) aloud or send the event information to the player whose character controls that Bastion if requested. The event is resolved immediately, with the two of us (or more) working together to expand story details as needed. On occasion, I may make an event specifically tailored to a point in the story and use that instead of rolling on the event table. You all are also welcome to offer additional events for me to add to the table and I will adjust the rolling odds appropriately.
Bastion events occur only when a Bastion is operating under the “Maintain” order, which often means that the Bastion’s owner is not present in the Bastion at the time. That means these events can be opportunities for you all to take on the role of the Bastion’s hirelings and roleplay their reactions to these events. Have fun getting attached to NPCs! I can even decide to turn a Bastion event into a sort of cut scene where each player takes on the role of one of the Bastion’s hirelings (under the guidance of the player whose character owns the Bastion) or one of their own Bastion hirelings (if the Bastions are combined).
Bastion Events
| d20 |
Event |
| 1–9 |
Nothing significant happens. |
| 10 |
Attack |
| 11–12 |
Lost Hirelings |
| 13–14 |
Refugees |
| 15 |
Friendly Visitors |
| 16 |
Request for Aid |
| 17 |
Honored Guest |
| 18 |
Extraordinary Opportunity |
| 19 |
Criminal Hireling |
| 20 |
Magical Discovery |
Event Descriptions
The events from the Bastion Events table are detailed here in alphabetical order.
Attack
A hostile force attacks your Bastion but is defeated. Roll 6d6; for each die that rolls a 1, one Bastion Defender dies. Remove these Bastion Defenders from your Bastion’s roster (I can choose which one or we can roll randomly if these defenders are named NPCs). In addition, one of the Bastion’s special facilities (also determined randomly) is damaged and forced to shut down. If the Bastion has no Bastion Defenders, or if no Bastion Defenders are left after the attack, a second special facility is also shut down. A special facility that shuts down can’t be used on your next Bastion turn, after which it is repaired and made operational again at no cost to you. A special facility that is shut down generates no Bastion Points when you issue the Maintain order.
Criminal Hireling
One of your Bastion’s hirelings has a criminal past that comes to light when officials or bounty hunters visit your Bastion with a warrant for the hireling’s arrest. You can retain the hireling by paying a bribe of 1d6 × 100 GP or by otherwise convincing or deceiving the pursuers into another course of action. Otherwise, the hireling is arrested and taken away. If this loss leaves one of your facilities without any hirelings, that facility can’t be used on your next Bastion turn. The hireling is then replaced at no cost to you. If this hireling is a named NPC with any level of significance, I may alter these events accordingly (for example, a bribe may not always be available).
Extraordinary Opportunity
You have been presented with a unique opportunity of some kind; if you spend 500 GP to fund this event, gain an extra 2d4 Bastion Points. For example, this opportunity could be to host a festival, fund the research of a powerful spellcaster, or appease a domineering noble. We will work out the details when this event is rolled.
Friendly Visitors
Friendly visitors come to your Bastion, seeking to use one of your special facilities. They offer 1d6 × 100 GP for the brief use of that facility. For example, a caravan might want to use your Workshop to repair its wagons and traveling gear. Pilgrims might want to rest in your Sanctuary. A knight might want your Smithy to replace a horseshoe or damaged weapons or armor. Or sages might need your Arcane Study to help them settle a dispute. Their use of the facility doesn’t interrupt any orders you’ve issued to it.
Honored Guest
A guest comes to stay at your Bastion. Roll on the Honored Guests table for a starting point and we will decide the details of this guest from there, or I may have an option pre-made for this event in advance.
Honored Guests Table
| d4 |
Event |
| 1 |
The renowned guest is grateful to stay at your Bastion and gives you a letter of recommendation you can use to sway an important person to perform a service for you at no cost. |
| 2 |
The guest requests sanctuary while avoiding persecution for their beliefs or crimes. They leave before the next Bastion turn but give you a gift of 1d6 × 100 GP. |
| 3 |
The guests are a group of friendly mercenaries, giving you four additional Bastion Defenders. They don’t require a facility to house them, and they stay until you send them away or they’re killed. |
| 4 |
The guest is some type of flying monster that perches atop the highest point on your Bastion until the next Bastion turn, unless it is killed or driven off. It is Indifferent toward others, but it turns Hostile if it’s threatened or attacked. You might be able to bribe the creature not to leave on your next Bastion turn; work with the DM to determine what it considers a worthy bribe. |
Lost Hirelings
One of your Bastion’s special facilities (determined randomly) loses its hirelings. The cause of their departure is up to you, or I can make a reason. The facility can’t be used on your next Bastion turn, but the hirelings are replaced at no cost to you after that point.
Magical Discovery
Your hirelings accidentally discover or create an Uncommon magic item of your choice. The magic item can’t be a suit of armor, a shield, or a weapon, and it's magic is temporary; its properties start to function when you claim the item and last until the start of your next Bastion turn, after which the magic item turns to dust.
Refugees
A group of 2d4 refugees fleeing from the war, a monster attack, a natural disaster, or some other calamity seeks refuge in your Bastion. If your Bastion lacks a basic facility large enough to house them, the refugees camp right outside the Bastion. The refugees offer you 1d6 × 100 GP as payment for your hospitality and protection. They stay until you find them a new home or a hostile force attacks your Bastion.
Request for Aid
Your Bastion is called on to help a local leader. Perhaps there’s a search on for a missing person, or brigands are plaguing the area. If you choose to help, you must dispatch one or more Bastion Defenders. Roll a d6 for each Bastion Defender you send; you must decide the total number of Bastion Defenders you will send before you begin rolling. If these die rolls total 10 or higher, the problem is solved, and you earn a reward of 1d6 × 100 GP. If the die rolls total less than 10, the problem is still solved, but the reward is halved and one of your Bastion Defenders is killed. Remove that Bastion Defender from your Bastion’s roster. Until after your next Bastion Event, these Defenders will be absent and cannot defend your Bastion against an Attack.
Bastion Facilities
When you gain a Bastion, it comes with two basic facilities. At level 5. It gains two special facilities. Both types of facilities are explained below. The amount of space in a facility determines its maximum area in 5-foot squares, as shown in the Facility Space table. You can configure the squares of a facility as you please on the Bastion’s map. The squares can be stacked so that a facility’s area is distributed over multiple levels or stories if you wish.
Facility Space
| Space |
Maximum Area |
| Cramped |
4 squares |
| Livable |
9 squares |
| Roomy |
16 squares |
| Expansive |
25 squares |
| Vast |
36 squares |
Bastion Map
If you want your bastion to be visitable, you
must create a token map of the Bastion. You may configure the Bastion’s basic and special facilities as you see fit, as long as it makes sense. This means you have creative town-building liberties as long as you don’t ask for something ridiculous; your Bastion cannot have each facility be a mile apart, for example. Be mostly realistic when designing your Bastion.
In addition to those facilities (described below), the Bastion can have the following features:
- Indoor Walls. A basic or special facility can have one or more walls within it in order to section off rooms or hallways, at no added cost. The rooms must be inside the facility and can’t increase the facility’s area in squares.
- Closets. A basic or special facility can have one or more closet-sized enclosures within it, at no added cost. The closets must be inside the facility and can’t increase the facility’s area in squares.
- Doors and Windows. Each facility comes with one or more doors and shuttered windows, placed wherever the player sees fit. These features are free.
- Corridors, Ramps, Staircases, Roads, and Paths. A facility can contain one or more corridors, ramps, staircases, roads, and or pathways leading to other facilities in the Bastion. These features are free. The quality of roads and pathways will reflect your level and commitment to your Bastion.
- Defensive Walls. You can add defensive walls around your Bastion. A defensive wall is 20 feet high and may include a walkway along the top of it, with a means to access it (such as a ladder or lift). Two 5-foot squares of defensive walls take 7 days to build and cost 140 GP. If your Bastion is completely enclosed by defensive walls and it comes under attack (see the “Bastion Events” section at the end of this document), reduce the number of dice you roll to determine how many Bastion Defenders are lost in the attack by 2.
Combining Bastions
I assume a party base is desirable for most people. You all have the option of combining your characters’ Bastions into a single unit. Combining Bastions doesn’t change the number of special facilities each Bastion can have, how those special facilities work, or who gets to issue orders to each Bastion. Each Bastion retains its own hirelings, which can’t be sent to or shared with another Bastion. If you intend to combine maps and intertwine buildings between Bastions, please keep track of which player owns what facility.
Bastion Defenders are handled differently: if some event deprives one character’s Bastion of defenders, another character can apply all or some of those losses to their Bastion instead, provided the two Bastions are combined.
Keep in mind that, if ever the need arises, splitting two bastions apart after they are combined will be a lofty endeavor. Assuming there is no hostility between the players or their Bastions’ residents, the time and resources to deconstruct, move, and reconstruct your bastion will deprive you of BP and require additional attention. I will revisit the rules if that happens, this is a warning just in case.
Basic Facilities
Basic facilities don’t generate Bastion Points, but instead are used to house NPCs, keep the Bastion tidy, provide room to socialize, or otherwise inspire meaningful roleplaying opportunities and enhance a Bastion’s verisimilitude. Many basic facilities give you all a fun setting to start game sessions, have in-character discussions, or allow me to introduce new NPCs. Many basic facilities also provide minor statistical benefits to your Bastion.
Your Bastion starts with two free basic facilities, one of which must be a Residency. Both facilities are Livable; your second free basic facility must meet the Minimum Size requirements, as shown in the table below. A Bastion can have more than one of each basic facility, but some will not provide additional bonuses if constructed more than once.
A basic facility comes with non-magical furnishings and decor appropriate for that facility. Basic facilities can be enlarged and new ones added by spending gold and in-game time, as discussed in the sections that follow. Any number of basic facilities can be built or enlarged at the same time. A character doesn’t need to be in their Bastion while new facilities are being added or enlarged.
Some basic facilities can be built around or within other facilities. Ask me if it would make sense to combine facilities; for example, a religious character may wish to combine their Religious Structure with a Child Care Facility. When doing so, you must still spend the gold for both structures, but you may use the total squares of both structures to design the space. A combined building gains the benefits of both spaces, with the exception of the Park (since it’s much cheaper).
Basic Facilities
| BasicFacility Name |
Minimum Size |
Description |
| Bath House |
Livable |
A Bath House is a space where NPCs can clean up and relax. This space can be a building (if your Bastion is a town or city) or a large room (if your Bastion is a single structure). If your Bastion contains at least one Bath House, any NPC living in your Bastion has advantage on any saves to combat non-magical diseases. |
| Child Care Facility |
Livable |
A Child Care Facility can be anything from a school, daycare, or other space where children are left to be attended by someone else. This space can be a building (if your Bastion is a town or city) or a large room (if your Bastion is a single structure). This space also houses one adult NPC who tends the facility and cares for the children. A Child Care Facility can take care of up to 5 children. For each size above Livable, the facility can house an additional adult NPC and take care of 3 additional child NPCs. This facility is purely for roleplay; it may have niche cases where you might need the services of an NPC who has children, who would be unwilling to help unless her children can be safely watched, but otherwise this facility has no statistical function. |
| Commemor-ative Facility |
Crowded |
A Commemorative Facility is a statue, memorial, recreational building, or some other kind of structure made to commemorate something or someone. This space can be a building (if your Bastion is a town or city), a large room (if your Bastion is a single structure), an independent structure (such as a statue), or incorporated into another facility if that facility has space to accommodate it (such as a fountain inside a park). You choose what the facility is commemorating when you build it. The exact statistics for this building will be determined after you select something to commemorate; for example, if you choose to build a statue in honor of Hell’s soldiers, you may have advantage on any check made to interact with Hellish forces and disadvantage with Heavenly forces within your Bastion. |
| Park |
Crowded |
A Park is a maintained green space in your Bastion. This space can be a field (if your Bastion is a town or city) or a courtyard (if your Bastion is a single structure). It may contain region appropriate flora, benches, lamps or torches, or signage as long as the space can accommodate it. When constructing a park, reduce the Gold cost for this construction by 2/3rds of its original cost (rounded to the nearest whole coin). This structure is purely for roleplay; I may have NPC interactions or events that cannot take place without a Park, but for the most part this facility has no statistical function. |
| Religious Structure |
Livable |
A Religious Structure is a church, temple, ritual site, or other place where religious or occult practices take place and teachings occur. This space can be a building (if your Bastion is a town or city) or a large room (if your Bastion is a single structure). If you have at least one Religious Structure dedicated to a specific deity, powerful being, or belief system, you have advantage on any check made to interact with any relevant followers within your Bastion. You also have advantage on any check made to preach or convince someone of a relevant belief while you are within this facility. |
| Residency |
Livable |
A Residency is a space where NPCs can live; this is most often a house, but it can also be a hotel, an apartment, or some other form of living space. This space can be a house (if your Bastion is a town or city) or a living quarters (if your Bastion is a single structure). This space can house two NPCs and is outfitted with a sleeping area, a kitchen and dining area, a storage space, and an outhouse. For each size above Livable, a Residency can house three more NPCs. |
| Town Hall |
Roomy |
A Town Hall is a facility designed to keep order and spread news within your Bastion. This space can be a building (if your Bastion is a town or city) or a large room (if your Bastion is a single structure). You may select one NPC living in your Bastion to act as your representative in the Town Hall. While you are away from your Bastion, you can send letters or news to your representative and they will spread the news to any NPC within your Bastion, or the entire Bastion, as you request. This process takes between one and three days, depending on how far you are away from your Bastion. |
| Town Square |
Roomy |
A Town Square is where most NPCs in your Bastion will go to socialize and trade. This space can be a clearing or building (if your Bastion is a town or city) or a large room (if your Bastion is a single structure). While in your Town Square, you have advantage on any Charisma check made to interact with NPCs within the square. You can also source most mundane goods through your Square; if you have any relevant facilities to import goods, you may buy items right away. Otherwise, you must wait 3 days for mundane goods to be brought in. I may decide a good is not available or will take longer or shorter to source for a variety of reasons. |
Adding Basic Facilities
You can add a basic facility to your Bastion by spending money and in-game time. The cost of adding a basic facility, and the in-game time required, depend on the facility’s space, as shown on the Adding Basic Facilities table below.
Adding Basic Facilities
| Facility Space |
GP Cost |
Time Required |
| Cramped |
50 GP |
Two weeks |
| Livable |
100 GP |
Three Weeks |
| Roomy |
200 GP |
One Month |
| Expansive |
500 GP |
Two Months |
| Vast |
1,000 GP |
Three Months |
Enlarging Basic Facilities
There is no in-game benefit to be gained by enlarging a basic facility, but you might want to enlarge a facility for cosmetic reasons or to increase the overall size of your Bastion. You can spend money and in-game time to increase the space of a basic facility in your Bastion by one category, as shown on the Enlarging Basic Facilities table.
Enlarging Basic Facilities
| Space Increase |
GP Cost |
Time Required |
| Cramped to Livable |
50 GP |
One Week |
| Livable to Roomy |
100 GP |
Two Weeks |
| Roomy to Expansive |
300 GP |
One Month |
| Expansive to Vast |
500 GP |
Two Months |
Residents
Residents are NPCs who live within your Bastion, but are not hirelings of any special facility (see below). You may gain residents by convincing NPCs to move in, or if your reputation has encouraged any NPCs to find your Bastion on their own accord. An NPC can only move in if you allow it; unless otherwise stated, it is assumed that families and individuals that you allow will move in over time without your oversight, as long as there are spaces for new residents to occupy.
If any NPC is found to be traitorous, wanted, or otherwise attracting unwanted attention (likely through an Event, as described earlier in this document), it is assumed that you simply missed any clue that might have tipped you off
or that NPC gained a new reputation after already moving in. I may design events or in-session interactions around such NPCs as I see fit.
Special Facilities
Special facilities are locations in a Bastion where the activities performed there can yield in-game benefits. After you reach level 5, your Bastion gains two special facilities of your choice for which you qualify. Each special facility can be chosen only once unless its description says otherwise.
Unlike basic facilities, special facilities can’t be bought; you gain them through level advancement. At level 9, you gain two additional special facilities of your choice for which you qualify, then one additional facility at level 13 and another at level 17. The Special Facility Acquisition table shows the total number of special facilities in your Bastion. Assume that construction is ongoing in the time leading up to your character reaching the new level, so each new facility immediately becomes part of your Bastion when you reach that level.
Each time you gain a level, you can replace one of your Bastion’s special facilities with another special facility for which you qualify. Again, assume that construction has been ongoing prior to the change.
Special Facility Acquisition
| Level |
Special Facilities |
| 5 |
2 |
| 9 |
4 |
| 13 |
5 |
| 17 |
6 |
Requirements
Each special facility has a level. A character must be that level or higher to gain that facility. A special facility might also have a prerequisite the character must meet to gain that facility. For example, only a character who can use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus can have an Arcane Study special facility.
Space
A special facility occupies a certain amount of space (see the Facility Space table). Just as with a basic facility, a player can configure the squares of a special facility as desired on the Bastion’s map. A special facility can’t be enlarged unless its description says otherwise, but it can be combined with another facility. If you choose to do so, the facilities do
not share their benefits like Basic facilities would, and you must be within the space of the special facility in order to gain its benefits.
Hirelings
A special facility comes with one or more hirelings, NPCs who work in and maintain the facility. Hirelings also execute Bastion orders, as described in the following section. You can assign names and personalities to hirelings in their character’s Bastion just like any other NPC. Each special facility in a Bastion is assumed to have enough space to house the hirelings and generate enough income to pay the salary of its hirelings. Hirelings follow the orders they’re given and are assumed to be loyal to the Bastion’s owner, though roleplay and game events can change this and cause potential consequences or other interactions. Again, just like any NPC.
Orders
On a Bastion turn, while you are in your Bastion, you can issue special orders called Bastion orders to one or more of your Bastion’s special facilities. You don’t need to issue orders to all the special facilities in their Bastion on a given Bastion turn.
The “Maintain” order is unusual; it is issued to the whole Bastion rather than to one or more special facilities. If a character isn’t in their Bastion on a given Bastion turn, the Bastion acts as though it was issued the “Maintain” order on that turn.
Each time a character issues a Bastion order, that character gains a number of Bastion Points (see “Bastion Points” above) determined by a die roll, as noted on the Order line of the facility’s description. The orders are as follows:
Craft. Hirelings in the special facility begin crafting an item that can be made in that facility. You can also do the work yourself, but if you do so, the work is suspended when you leave the Bastion until you return. During the time required to Craft an item, the facility can’t be used to Craft anything else, even if a special ability allows the facility to carry out two orders at once.
Empower. The special facility confers a temporary empowerment to your character or someone else.
Harvest. A resource is produced in the special facility, and hirelings gather it. You can also do the gathering yourself, but if you do so, the work is suspended when you leave the Bastion until you return. During the time required to Harvest a resource, the facility can’t be used to Harvest anything else, even if a special ability allows the facility to carry out two orders at once.
Maintain. All the Bastion’s hirelings focus on maintaining the Bastion rather than executing orders in special facilities. Issuing this order prohibits other orders from being issued to the Bastion on the current Bastion turn. Each time the Maintain order is issued, the character who issued the order gains 1d4 Bastion Points for each special facility in their Bastion (in lieu of Bastion Points they would normally earn by issuing orders to their special facilities), and I will roll on the Bastion Events table (see “Bastion Events” at the end of this document) for a random event. Bastion events are resolved before the next Bastion turn.
Recruit. Hirelings recruit creatures to your Bastion.
Research. Hirelings in the special facility gather information. You can also do the research yourself, but if you do so, the work is suspended when you leave the Bastion until you return.
Trade. Hirelings buy and sell goods or services stored or produced in this special facility.
Special Facility Descriptions
| Level |
Special Facility |
Prerequisite |
Issuable Order |
| Level 5 |
Arcane Study |
Ability to use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus |
Craft |
| Level 5 |
Armory |
None |
Trade |
| Level 5 |
Barracks |
None |
Recruit |
| Level 5 |
Construction Office |
None |
Harvest |
| Level 5 |
Garden |
None |
Harvest |
| Level 5 |
Library |
None |
Research |
| Level 5 |
Sanctuary |
Ability to use a Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus |
Craft |
| Level 5 |
Smithy |
Fighting Style feature or Unarmored Defense feature |
Craft |
| Level 5 |
Storehouse |
None |
Trade |
| Level 5 |
Library |
None |
Research |
| Level 5 |
Workshop |
Rogue, Bard, or a feature that grants additional Expertises |
Craft |
| Level 9 |
Gaming Hall |
None |
Trade |
| Level 9 |
Greenhouse |
None |
Harvest |
| Level 9 |
Greenhouse |
None* |
Craft |
| Level 9 |
Hospital |
None |
Empower |
| Level 9 |
Sacristy |
Ability to use a Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus |
Craft |
| Level 9 |
Scriptorium |
None* |
Craft |
| Level 9 |
Stable |
None |
Trade |
| Level 9 |
Teleportation Circle |
None |
Recruit |
| Level 9 |
Theater |
None |
Empower |
| Level 9 |
Training Area |
Rogue, Bard, a feature that grants additional Expertises, Fighting Style feature, or Unarmored Defense feature |
Empower |
| Level 9 |
Trophy Room |
None |
Research |
| Level 13 |
Archive |
None |
Research |
| Level 13 |
Meditation Chamber |
None |
Empower |
| Level 13 |
Menagerie |
None |
Recruit |
| Level 13 |
Pub |
None |
Research |
| Level 13 |
Reliquary |
Ability to use a Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus |
Harvest |
| Level 17 |
Demiplane |
Ability to use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus |
Empower |
| Level 17 |
Guildhall |
Rogue, Bard, or a feature that grants additional Expertises |
Recruit |
| Level 17 |
Sanctum |
Ability to use a Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus |
Empower |
| Level 17 |
War Room |
Fighting Style feature or Unarmored Defense feature |
Recruit |
* Certain orders that can be issued to these facilities have additional prerequisites.
Arcane Study
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Ability to use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Craft (1d4 BP)
An Arcane Study is a place of quiet research that contains one or more desks and bookshelves. When you issue the Craft order to this facility, choose one of the following options:
- Craft: Arcane Focus. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft an Arcane Focus. The work takes 7 days and costs no money. The Arcane Focus remains in your Bastion until you claim it, or you can have it sold for 10 GP.
- Craft: Book. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft a blank Book. The work takes 7 days and costs you 10 GP. The Book remains in your Bastion until you claim it, or you can have it sold for 25 GP.
The Arcane Study also imparts the following benefit:
- Cast Identify. After spending a Long Rest in your Bastion, you can cast Identify once within the next 7 days without expending a spell slot or using Material components.
Archive
Level 13 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Research (1d8 BP)
An Archive is a repository of valuable books, scrolls, and maps. It is usually attached to a Library behind a locked or secret door.
Your Archive contains one copy of a rare and valuable reference book, chosen from the options in the Reference Books table. While you and this book are in your Bastion, you gain the book’s benefit, as noted in the table.
When you issue the Research order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hireling to search the Archive for helpful lore. The work takes 7 days. Whoever does the work gains knowledge as if they had cast the Legend Lore spell. A hireling who gains this knowledge shares it with you the next time you speak with them.
Reference Books
| Book Title |
Benefit |
| Bigby’s Handy Arcana Codex |
You have Advantage on any Intelligence (Arcana) check you make when you roll to recall lore about spells, magic items, eldritch symbols, magical traditions, and the functions of the three planes of existence. |
| The Chronepsis Chronicles |
You have Advantage on any Intelligence (History) check you make when you roll to recall lore about historical events, legendary people, ancient kingdoms, past disputes, wars, and lost civilizations. |
| Investigations of the Inquisitive |
You have Advantage on any Intelligence (Investigation) check you make when you roll to make deductions based on clues or evidence or to recall lore about traps, ciphers, riddles, and gadgetry. |
| Material Musings on the Nature of Worldly Things |
You have Advantage on any Intelligence (Ecology) check you make when you roll to recall lore about terrain, plants and animals, the weather, and natural cycles. |
| Rubiconian Theology |
You have Advantage on any Intelligence (Religion) check you make when you roll to recall lore about deities, rites and prayers, religious hierarchies, holy symbols, and the practices of secret cults. This does not include general information about Heaven or Hell, just religious practice. |
| A Non-Religious Study of the Outer Planes |
You have Advantage on any Intelligence (Religion, History) check you make when you roll to recall lore and history about the witches, sages, environments of Heaven or Hell, or the residents of Heaven or Hell. |
| Volo’s Guide to Monsters |
You have Advantage on any Intelligence (Monster) check you make when you roll to recall lore about abnormal or mutated creatures, human-like monsters, Aberrations, and Monstrosities. |
| Principles of Value |
You have Advantage on any Intelligence (Appraisal) check you make when you roll to make deductions about something's value, material strength or physical integrity, uses in crafting, or material makeup. |
Enlarging an Archive. You can enlarge your Archive to a Vast facility by spending 2,000 GP. If you do so, you gain two additional reference books chosen from the Reference Books table.
Armory
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Trade (1d4 BP)
An Armory contains mannequins for displaying armor, hooks on the walls for holding shields, racks for storing weapons, and wooden chests for holding ammunition. It is often connected to (or situated near) a Barracks.
When you issue the Trade order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hireling to stock the Armory with armor, shields, weapons, and ammunition. This equipment costs you 100 GP plus an extra 100 GP for each Bastion Defender in your Bastion. If your Bastion has a Smithy, the total cost is halved.
While your Armory is stocked, your Bastion Defenders are harder to kill. When any event causes you to roll dice to determine if your Bastion loses one or more of its defenders (see “Bastion Events”), roll a d8 in place of each d6 you would normally roll. When the event is over, the equipment in your Armory is expended regardless of how many Bastion Defenders you have or how many you lost, leaving your Armory depleted until you issue another Trade order to the facility and pay the cost to restock it.
Barracks
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 0
Order: Recruit (1d4 BP)
A Bastion can have more than one Barracks, each of which is furnished to serve as sleeping quarters for up to twelve Bastion Defenders.
Each time you issue the Recruit order to this facility, up to four Bastion Defenders are recruited to your Bastion and assigned quarters in this Barracks. The recruitment costs you nothing. You can’t issue the Recruit order to this facility if it’s fully occupied.
Keep track of the number of Bastion Defenders housed in each of your Barracks. If you lose Bastion Defenders, deduct them from your roster. Assign names and personalities to your Bastion Defenders as you see fit.
Enlarging a Barracks. You can enlarge your Barracks to a Vast facility by spending 2,000 GP. A Vast Barracks can accommodate up to 25 Bastion Defenders.
Construction Office
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 2
Order: Harvest (1d4 BP)
A Construction Office is a facility that operates and maintains the collection of tools, resources, and equipment used in construction. It also has a small quarry and lumber yard incorporated into the space of the facility.
When you issue the Harvest order to this facility, your hirelings begin to harvest wood and stone to be used in your next project. You may choose one basic facility you are constructing or will begin construction on within the next day: the time and cost to construct that facility is reduced by half. You cannot issue this order again until the current project is completed.
Demiplane
Level 17 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Ability to use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus
Space: Vast
Hirelings: 0
Order: Empower (1d10 BP)
A magical door appears on a flat, solid surface in one of the other facilities in your Bastion. This door can appear however you wish, as long as it makes sense in the world. You choose the location of this door. If you are in your Bastion during a Bastion turn, you can relocate this door to another facility in your Bastion.
The door is large enough to allow Medium creatures to pass through it unhindered, and only you and your Bastion’s hirelings can open it. The door leads to a Demiplane that takes the form of a room made of otherworldly materials as resilient as stone. The Demiplane exists in an extradimensional space and therefore isn’t attached physically to other locations in your Bastion. Neither the Demiplane nor its door can be dispelled. If you have any other feature that would create a Demiplane or similar space, such as Temple of the Gods, you may choose to share the statistics of that feature or spell with this facility, gaining the best combination of both statistics unless I rule otherwise.
When you issue the Empower order to this facility, magical runes appear on the Demiplane’s walls, floor, and ceiling and last for 7 days. Until the runes disappear, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to five times your level after spending an entire Field Rest in the Demiplane. The Demiplane also imparts the following benefits:
- Fabrication. While in the Demiplane, you can use a Magic action to magically create a non-magical object of your choice from nothing, causing it to appear in an unoccupied space within the Demiplane. The object can be no bigger than a 5-foot cube in any dimension and must be made of wood, stone, clay, porcelain, glass, paper, non-precious crystal, or non-precious metal. You must finish a Long Rest before you can perform this action again.
- Scry-Proof. The Demiplane and its contents can’t be scried upon using Crystal Balls, Divination spells, or similar magic.
Gaming Hall
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Vast
Hirelings: 4
Order: Trade (1d6 BP)
A Gaming Hall offers recreational activities ranging from chess boards and darts to card games and dice.
When you issue the Trade order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hirelings to turn the Gaming Hall into a gambling den for 7 days. At the end of the seventh day, roll percentile dice and consult the Gambling Den Winnings table to determine your portion of the house’s winnings.
Gambling Den Winnings
| d100 |
Winnings |
| 01–33 |
3d6 GP |
| 34–50 |
1d6 × 10 GP |
| 51–85 |
2d6 × 10 GP |
| 86–95 |
4d6 × 10 GP |
| 96–100 |
10d6 × 10 GP |
Garden
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Harvest (1d4 BP)
A Bastion can have more than one Garden. Each time you add a Garden to your Bastion, choose its type from the following options:
- Decorative Garden. This aesthetically pleasing Garden is full of flowers and topiaries.
- Food Garden. Delicious mushrooms or vegetables are grown here.
- Herb Garden. This Garden contains rare herbs, some of which have medicinal uses and some of which are poisonous.
While in your Bastion, you can instruct the facility’s hireling to change the Garden from one type to another. This work takes 21 days, during which time no other activity can occur in this facility. When you issue the Harvest order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hireling to collect items of value from the Garden as noted in the Garden Harvest table. The work takes 7 days and costs you no money.
Garden Harvest
| Type |
Harvest |
| Decorative |
The Garden produces either ten exquisite floral bouquets or ten vials of Perfume. Each of these can be sold for 10 GP. |
| Food |
The Garden produces any available mushrooms, vegetables, fruits, or other growable ingredients used to make cooking supplies. These supplies add up to no more than 100 GP worth of cooking supplies (one Rare Supplies, ten Uncommon Supplies, etc) that you can either sell or use in cooking. |
| Herb |
The Garden produces three common reagents of any type. |
Enlarging a Garden. You can enlarge your Garden to a Vast facility by spending 2,000 GP. A Vast Garden is equivalent to two Roomy Gardens, and can include two of the same type of garden or two different types. When you issue the Harvest order to a Vast Garden, each component garden produces its own harvest. A Vast Garden gains 1 additional hireling.
Greenhouse
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Harvest (1d6 BP)
A Greenhouse is a spacious enclosure where rare plants and fungi are nurtured in a controlled climate.
One plant in your Greenhouse has three magical fruits growing on it. Any creature that eats one of these fruits gains the benefit of a Lesser Restoration spell. Fruits that aren’t eaten within 24 hours of being picked lose their magic. The plant replaces all picked fruits daily at dawn, and it can’t be transplanted without killing it.
When you issue the Harvest order to this facility, choose one of the following options. Each option takes 7 days and costs you no money:
- Harvest: Healing Herbs. The Greenhouse produces three uncommon curative reagents, OR two rare curative reagents, OR one very rare curative reagent.
- Harvest: Poison Herbs. The Greenhouse produces three uncommon poisonous reagents, OR two rare poisonous reagents, OR one very rare poisonous reagent.
- Harvest: Acidic Herbs. The Greenhouse produces three uncommon reactive reagents, OR two rare reactive reagents, OR one very rare reactive reagent.
Guildhall
Level 17 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Rogue, Bard, or a feature that grants additional Expertises
Space: Vast
Hirelings: 0
Order: Recruit (1d10 BP)
A Guildhall comes with a guild, for which you are the guild master. Choose the type of guild from the options in the Sample Guilds table, or talk with me to create a new guild. The facility is a meeting room where members of your guild can discuss important matters in your presence. Wall banners depict the guild’s symbol.
Your guild has roughly fifty members made up of skilled folk who live and work outside your Bastion, usually in nearby settlements, or live within the Bastion if they are existing NPCs. Each time you issue the Recruit order to this facility, you commission one or more members of your guild to perform a special assignment. Each guild in the Sample Guilds table specifies the nature of that assignment. With my approval, you can create new assignments for guild members to complete.
Sample Guilds
| Guild |
Symbol |
Assignment |
| Adventurers’ Guild |
Lit torch |
You send adventurers to track down a Beast that has a Challenge Rating of 2 or lower and is known to lair within 50 miles of your Bastion. The adventurers slay or capture the creature (your choice) in 1d6 + 1 days. If the creature is slain and your Bastion has a Trophy Room, you can add a trophy taken from the creature to that facility. If the creature is captured and your Bastion has a Menagerie, you can add the creature to that facility, provided the facility has space to house it. |
| Bakers’ Guild |
Pastry |
You assign bakers to create baked goods for a prestigious event that occurs within the next 7 days. You can receive payment in coin (500 GP) or in the form of a favor owed to you by the event’s host, the details of which we will figure out together. |
| Brewers’ Guild |
Foaming mug |
You assign brewers to deliver fifty 40-gallon barrels of ale to your Bastion in 7 days. You can sell the barrels of ale for 10 GP apiece. |
| Cartographers’ Guild |
A Sextant |
You assign cartographers to draw a map in 7 days. Alternatively, you can pay them 500 GP to procure a map of a known adventure location and deliver it to your Bastion in 7 days, if such a map exists. |
| Entertainers’ Guild |
Silver lyre |
You assign entertainers to create a work of art (such as a painting, a play, a ballad, a symphony, or a statue) in 7 days. The work gains recognition and high praise but has no monetary value. |
| Jewelers’ Guild |
Golden ring |
You assign jewelers to craft a gemstone or piece of jewelry worth no more than 1,000 GP. The work takes 7 days, and you must pay half the item’s cost in raw materials. |
| Masons’ Guild |
Stone mask |
You assign masons to add a defensive wall to your Bastion at no cost to you. Alternatively, you can have the masons perform this work for another player character’s Bastion, provided their Bastion is within 1 mile of yours. Each 5-foot square of defensive wall takes 1 day to build instead of 10 (see “Bastion Map” earlier in this document). |
| Shipbuilders’ Guild |
Crossed oars |
You assign shipbuilders to build one of the vehicles in the Waterborne Vehicles table of the Player’s Handbook. You pay the full cost of the vehicle, and the work takes 1 day per 1,000 GP of the vehicle’s cost (a Rowboat can be made in 1 day). |
| Thieves’ Guild |
White key |
You assign thieves to infiltrate a location within 50 miles of your Bastion and steal a non-magical object from it. The object can be no bigger than a 5-foot cube and is delivered to your Bastion in 1d6 + 1 days. A white key is left in its place. I may decide that this activity leaves you at risk of retaliation from law enforcement or the victim. |
Hospital
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Expansive
Hirelings: 4
Order: Empower (1d4 BP)
A hospital is a facility designed to aid sick, wounded, or otherwise unwell individuals.
When you issue the Empower order to this facility, you provide yourself and other player characters with the necessary materials to fight off diseases and infections. For the next week, you and any other character who participates has advantage on saves against any disease originating from a source of equal or lower power to your player level.
The Hospital also imparts the following benefits:
- Local Wellness. Any NPC living within your Bastion has advantage on saves against any disease originating from a source of equal or lower power to your player level.
- Recovery. Any character brought to 0 HP within or near your bastion can be brought to the hospital for care, if you allow it. These NPCs have advantage on any death saves they may make, and may roll twice to determine how quickly they recover from any condition with a time-based recovery, picking the lower roll.
Laboratory
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Craft (1d6 BP)
A Laboratory contains storage space for alchemical supplies and workspaces for crafting potions and other concoctions.
When you issue the Craft order to this facility, choose one of the following options:
- Craft: Liquid Concoction. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft a vial of Acid, a flask of Alchemist’s Fire, or a bottle of Ink of Rare or lower rarity. This work takes 7 days and costs you half the item’s normal cost.
- Craft: Poison. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft a vial of Basic Poison or a vial containing one application of a rare poison. The rare poison must be one of the following: Burnt Othur Fumes, Carrion Crawler Mucus, Essence of Ether, or Malice. This work takes 7 days, and you must pay the poison’s cost. See the “Poisons” section in the Kibbles supplement for descriptions and costs of rare poisons.
- Craft: Potion. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft a potion. The work takes 7 days. The Craft Potion table shows the minimum level you must be for your hireling to craft a potion of a particular rarity. The cost you must pay for supplies is equal to half the Kibbles cost for that potion.
Craft Potion
| Item’s Rarity |
Minimum Level |
| Common |
None |
| Uncommon |
7 |
| Rare |
10 |
| Very Rare |
13 |
| Legendary |
17 |
Library
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order:Research (1d4 BP)
This Library contains a collection of books plus one or more desks and reading chairs.
When you issue the Research order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hireling to research a topic. The topic can be a legend, a known event or location, a person of significance, a type of creature, or a famous object. The work takes 7 days. When the research concludes, you obtain up to three accurate pieces of information about the topic that were previously unknown to you.
Meditation Chamber
Level 13 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Cramped
Hirelings: 0
Order: Empower (1d8 BP)
A Meditation Chamber is a relaxing space that helps align one’s mind, body, and spirit.
When you issue the Empower order to this facility, you enable all your Bastion’s hirelings to use the Meditation Chamber to gain a measure of inner peace. You can immediately issue a Bastion order to one of your Bastion’s other special facilities, even if that facility has already been issued an order on this Bastion turn.
The Meditation Chamber also imparts the following benefit:
- Fortify Self. You can meditate in this facility over a period of 7 days to fortify your mind, body, and spirit. If you leave the Bastion during this time, you gain no benefit. Otherwise, at the end of the seventh day, you gain Advantage on two kinds of saving throws for the next 7 days, rolled randomly from the Fortified Saves table. (Reroll if you get a duplicate result.)
Fortified Saves
| d6 |
Saving Throw |
| 1 |
Strength |
| 2 |
Dexterity |
| 3 |
Constitution |
| 4 |
Intelligence |
| 5 |
Wisdom |
| 6 |
Charisma |
Menagerie
Level 13 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Vast
Hirelings: 2
Order: Recruit (1d8 BP)
A Menagerie, otherwise known as a zoo, keeps various creatures in enclosures. Multiple creatures can be contained in the same enclosure if those creatures would get along normally. The Menagerie is big enough to contain four Large creatures. Four Small or Medium creatures occupy the same amount of space as one Large creature.
When you issue the Recruit order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hirelings to add a creature to your Menagerie. The recruitment takes 7 days and costs you the amount listed in the table; only Beasts and some Monstrosities, Plants, or Draconids can be kept in a Menagerie. Certain creatures may take additional time or less time depending on their rarity or any other relevant circumstances; for example, if you encounter a viable creature yourself and have it captured, you may request one of your Menagerie’s Hirelings (and a few Defenders if necessary) to retrieve the creature and house it in half the time. The hirelings make sure the creature is properly looked after.
Keep track of the creatures housed in your Menagerie, as they count as Bastion Defenders. Deduct any you lose from your Bastion Defenders roster. You can choose not to count one or more of these creatures as Bastion Defenders, in which case they can’t be called on to defend the Bastion. Instead, they act in accordance with their nature and use their stat blocks in the Monster Manual.
Menagerie Creatures
| Creature’s CR |
Cost |
| 0 |
50 GP |
| 1/4 |
250 GP |
| 1/2 |
500 GP |
| 1 |
1000 GP |
| 2 |
2000 GP |
| 3 |
3500 GP |
Pub
Level 13 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Research (1d8 BP)
Folks come here to consume tasty beverages and socialize. Your Pub might be a bar, coffee shop, or tea room, and it might have a colorful name, such as the Rusty Flagon or the Dragon’s Loft.
The facility’s hireling, who serves as the bartender, maintains a network of spies scattered throughout nearby communities. These spies are useful sources of information and frequent the Pub, often incognito. When you issue the Research order to this facility, you commission the Pub’s bartender to gather information from spies who are aware of all important events happening in nearby cities and nations over the next 7 days. During that time, these spies can divulge the location of any creature that is familiar to you, provided the creature is within the boundaries of the map and not hidden by magic or confined to a location that I deem is beyond the spy network’s ability to locate. If the spies learn the target’s location, they also learn where that creature has been for the previous 7 days.
In addition, the Pub has one magical beverage on tap, chosen from the options in the Pub Special table. Between Bastion turns, you can switch to one of the table’s other options. I may create new options and allow them to become available later.
Pub Special
| Beverage |
Effect |
| Bigby’s Burden |
Drinking this beverage grants you the enlarge effect of an Enlarge/Reduce spell that has a duration of 24 hours, for which you get no saving throw. |
| Kiss of the Spider Queen |
Drinking this beverage grants you the effect of a Spider Climb spell that has a duration of 24 hours. |
| Moonlight Serenade |
Drinking this beverage gives you Darkvision within 60 feet for the next 24 hours. This Darkvision can see through magical darkness. |
| Positive Reinforcement |
Drinking this beverage gives you Resistance to Necrotic damage for the next 24 hours. |
| Sterner Stuff |
Drinking this beverage makes you immune to the Frightened condition for the next 24 hours. |
Enlarging a Pub. You can enlarge your Pub to a Vast facility by spending 2,000 GP. If you do so, the Pub can have two magical beverages from the Pub Special table on tap at a time. A Vast Pub gains 3 additional hirelings, for a total of 4. These new hirelings are servers. Assign names and personalities to them as you please.
Reliquary
Level 13 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Ability to use a Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus
Space: Cramped
Hirelings: 1
Order: Harvest (1d8 BP)
This vault holds sacred objects that reinforce your religion. Whenever you spend a Long Rest in your Bastion, you can cast Greater Restoration once within the next 7 days without expending a spell slot or using Material components.
When you issue the Harvest order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hireling to produce a specially prepared talisman for your use. The talisman usually takes the form of an amulet, a rune-carved box, or a statuette, but it can be any Tiny, non-magical object that has religious significance. The work takes 7 days and costs no money. You can use this talisman as a Spellcasting Focus, ignoring any of the spell’s Material components, including ones that have a cost of 1,000 GP or less. The talisman can be used in this way only once, and then it must be returned to your Reliquary. Another Harvest order prepares it for use again.
Sacristy
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Ability to use a Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Craft (1d6 BP)
A Sacristy serves as a preparation and storage room for the sacred items and vestments of your religion.
Having a Sacristy allows you to regain one additional expended spell slot of level 5 or lower after spending an entire Field Rest in your Bastion. You can’t gain this benefit again until you finish a Heroic Rest.
When you issue the Craft order to this facility, choose one of the following options:
- Craft: Holy Water. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft a flask of Holy Water. The work takes 7 days and costs nothing. You can spend Gold Pieces during the creation process to increase the potency of the Holy Water. For every 100 GP you spend, up to a maximum of 500 GP, the damage dealt by the Holy Water increases by 1d6.
- Craft: Sacred Item. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft a temporary magic item, the properties of which last for 7 days, or you do the work yourself. Choose the item from the following list: Pearl of Power, Periapt of Wound Closure, Ring of Water Walking, Sending Stones (pair), Staff of the Adder, Staff of the Python, or Wand of Magic Detection. The work takes 7 days and costs you 200 GP.
Sanctuary
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Ability to use a Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Craft (1d4 BP)
Icons of your religion are displayed in this facility, which includes a quiet place for worship or spiritual practice. The Sanctuary imparts the following benefit:
- Cast Healing Word. You can draw on the power of your Sanctuary to heal yourself or another. After spending a Long Rest in your Bastion, you can cast Healing Word once within the next 7 days without expending a spell slot. The spell’s level is half your level, rounded down.
When you issue the Craft order to this facility, it produces a sacred focus:
- Craft: Sacred Focus. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft a Druidic Focus (Wooden Staff) or a Holy Symbol. The work takes 7 days and costs no money. The item remains in your Bastion until you claim it, or you can have it sold for 5 GP.
Sanctum
Level 17 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Ability to use a Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 4
Order: Empower (1d10 BP)
A Sanctum is a place of solace and healing.
When you issue the Empower order to this facility, you inspire its hirelings to perform daily rites that benefit you or another player character of your choice. Each time the beneficiary finishes a Long Rest, they gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your level. This effect lasts for 7 days.
The Sanctum also imparts the following benefits:
- Cast Heal. Whenever you spend a Long Rest in your Bastion, you can cast Heal once within the next 7 days without expending a spell slot.
- Sanctum Recall. When you cast Word of Recall, you can make your Sanctum the destination of the spell instead of another place you have previously designated. In addition, one creature of your choice that arrives in the Sanctum via this spell gains the benefit of a Heal spell.
Scriptorium
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Craft (1d6 BP)
A Scriptorium contains desks and writing supplies.
When you issue the Craft order to this facility, choose one of the following options:
- Craft: Book Replica. You commission the facility’s hireling to make a copy of a non-magical book. Doing so requires a blank Book. The work takes 7 days.
- Craft: Paperwork. You commission the facility’s hireling to create up to fifty copies of a broadsheet, a pamphlet, or another loose leaf paper product. The work takes 7 days and costs you 1 GP per copy. At no additional cost in time or money, the facility’s hireling can distribute the paperwork to one or more locations near your Bastion.
- Craft: Scroll. You commission the facility’s hireling to craft a magic scroll. In the case of a Spell Scroll, you must meet the requirements to craft the scroll yourself. The work takes 7 days. The Craft Scroll table shows the minimum level you must be for your hireling to craft a scroll of a particular spell level and the cost of the supplies needed. If the scroll does not have an associated spell level, use the average Gold and level (rounded to the nearest whole number) for the scroll’s rarity.
Craft Scroll
| Item’s Rarity |
Spell Level |
Minimum Player Level |
Cost |
| Common |
Cantrip |
None |
50 GP |
| Uncommon |
1st |
None |
65 GP |
| Uncommon |
2nd |
None |
90 GP |
| Rare |
3rd |
Level 7 |
250 GP |
| Rare |
4th |
Level 9 |
300 GP |
| Rare |
5th |
Level 11 |
1,200 GP |
| Rare |
6th |
Level 13 |
1,500 GP |
| Very Rare |
7th |
Level 15 |
12,000 GP |
| Very Rare |
8th |
Level 17 |
14,000 GP |
| Legendary |
9th |
Level 19 |
40,000 GP |
Smithy
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Fighting Style feature or Unarmored Defense feature
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 2
Order: Craft (1d4 BP)
This Smithy contains a forge, an anvil, and other tools needed to craft weapons and tools. When you issue the Craft order to this facility, choose one of the following options:
- Craft: Ammunition or Simple Weapon. You commission the facility’s hirelings to craft up to twenty pieces of ammunition or one Simple Weapon, which takes 7 days and costs you half the normal price of the ammunition or weapon. Or you can commission a masterwork Simple Weapon, which takes 14 days and costs you 300 GP. A masterwork Simple weapon has no special properties until a Magic Weapon spell is cast on it. When that spell ends, the masterwork weapon retains the magic permanently, becoming a +1 Weapon.
- Craft: Armor or Equipment. You commission the facility’s hirelings to craft one of the following: a suit of Medium or Heavy armor (excluding Hide), 20 Caltrops, a Chain (10 feet), a Crowbar, a Grappling Hook, a Hammer (regular or sledge), 4 horseshoes, a Hunting Trap, a set of Manacles, a Miner’s Pick, 10 Iron Spikes or Pitons, an Iron Pot, a metal Shield, or a Shovel. The work takes 7 days, or 21 days for a suit of armor, and costs you half the item’s normal cost. Craft: Martial Weapon. You commission the facility’s hirelings to craft a Martial weapon, which takes 14 days and costs you half the weapon’s normal cost, or a masterwork Martial weapon, which takes 21 days and costs you 500 GP. A masterwork Martial weapon has no special properties until a Magic Weapon spell is cast on it. When that spell ends, the masterwork weapon retains the magic permanently, becoming a +1 Weapon.
Stable
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Trade (1d6 BP)
A Bastion can have more than one Stable. Each Stable comes with one Riding Horse (or Camel) and two Ponies (or two Mules). The facility is big enough to house three Large animals. Two Medium creatures occupy the same amount of space as one Large creature. The facility’s hireling looks after these creatures.
After a non-sapient creature (5 Intelligence or below and does not know a language) that can serve as a mount spends at least 14 days in this facility, all Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks made with respect to it have Advantage, as the animal becomes easier to handle.
When you issue the Trade order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hireling to buy or sell one or more mounts at normal cost, keeping the ones you buy in your Stable. The work takes 7 days, and I will decide what types of animals are available for purchase— horses, ponies, and mules will always be available. The “Mounts and Other Animals” table in the Player’s Handbook gives standard prices for various mounts, including camels, horses, ponies, and mules. When you sell a mount from your Stable, the buyer pays you 20 percent more than the standard price; this profit increases to 50 percent when you reach level 13 and 100 percent when you reach level 17.
Enlarging a Stable. You can enlarge your Stable to a Vast facility by spending 2,000 GP. If you do so, the Stable is large enough to house six Large animals.
Storehouse
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Trade (1d4 BP)
This cool, dark space is meant to contain trade goods (see the Trade Goods table in the Player’s Handbook) but can hold almost anything.
When you issue the Trade order to this facility, its hireling spends the next 7 days procuring non-magical items that have a total value of 500 GP or less and stores them in the Storehouse, or the hireling uses those 7 days to sell goods in the Storehouse. You bear the total cost of any purchases, and the maximum value of the items purchased increases to 2,000 GP when you reach level 9 and 5,000 GP when you reach level 13. The Equipment chapter of the Player’s Handbook has tables of common goods that can be bought.
When you sell goods from your Storehouse, the buyer pays you 10 percent more than the standard price, rounded to the nearest relevant coin (usually Gold this profit increases to 20 percent when you reach level 9, 50 percent when you reach level 13, and 100 percent when you reach level 17.
Teleportation Circle
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 0
Order: Recruit (1d6 BP)
Inscribed on the floor of this room is a permanent teleportation circle created by a Teleportation Circle spell.
Each time you issue the Recruit order to this facility, your Bastion extends an invitation to a friendly Mage, or a friendly Archmage if you are level 17 or higher (see the Monster Manual for their stat blocks). Roll any die. If the number rolled is odd, the invitee declines the invitation, and you gain no benefit from having issued the order. If the number rolled is even, the invitee accepts the invitation and arrives in your Bastion via your Teleportation Circle. This guest stays for 7 days. The guest won’t help defend your Bastion and departs immediately if the Bastion is attacked (see “Bastion Events” at the end of this document).
While you are in the Bastion, you can ask the visiting Mage or Archmage to cast one spell. In the case of the Mage, choose a Wizard spell of level 4 or lower; in the case of the Archmage, choose a Wizard spell of level 8 or lower. The spell might be one the visitor has prepared, or it might be written in a spellbook. If the spell has one or more Material components that cost money, you must pay for them before the spell can be cast.
Theater
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Vast
Hirelings: 4
Order: Empower (1d6 BP)
The Theater contains a stage, a backstage area where props and sets are kept, and a seating area for a small audience.
When you issue the Empower order to this facility, its hirelings begin work on a theatrical production or concert. Rehearsals and other preparations take 14 days, followed by at least 7 days of performances. The performances can continue indefinitely until a new production gets underway. A player character can contribute to a production in the following ways:
- Composer/Writer. A character can compose music or write a script for a concert or production that hasn’t started rehearsals yet. This effort takes 14 days.
- Conductor/Director. A character who remains in the Bastion for the entirety of the production can serve as the concert’s conductor or the production’s director.
- Performer. A character who remains in the Bastion for the entirety of the rehearsal period can be a star performer in one or more of the performances; one of the Theater’s hirelings can serve as an understudy for additional performances.
At the end of a rehearsal period, each character who contributed to the concert or production can make a DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check. If more of these checks succeed than fail, you and any other character who contributed to the concert or production each gain a Theater die, a d6. This die increases to a d8 when you reach level 13 and a d10 when you reach level 17. At any point after the rehearsals end, a character can expend their Theater die to roll it and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make. If a character hasn’t expended their Theater die before gaining another, their first die is lost
Training Area
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Rogue, Bard, a feature that grants additional Expertises, Fighting Style feature, or Unarmored Defense feature
Space: Vast
Hirelings: 4
Order: Empower (1d6 BP)
A Bastion can have more than one Training Area. A Training Area might be an open courtyard, a gymnasium, a music or dance hall, or a cleverly built gauntlet of traps and hazards. It might contain inanimate targets (for weapon practice), padded mats, and other equipment.
One of the facility’s hirelings is an expert trainer; the others serve as training partners. When a Training Area becomes part of your Bastion, choose one trainer from the Expert Trainers table. On each Bastion turn, you can replace that trainer with another one from the table.
When you issue the Empower order to this facility, the facility’s hirelings conduct training exercises for the next 7 days. Any character who trains here for at least 8 hours on each of those days gains a benefit at the end of the training period. The benefit depends on which trainer is present in the facility, as noted in the Expert Trainers table. The benefit lasts for 7 days.
Expert Trainers Table
| Trainer |
Training Benefit |
| Battle Expert |
Once per turn, when you take damage from an attack made with an Unarmed Strike or a weapon, you can reduce this damage by 1d4, provided you don’t have the Incapacitated condition. |
| Skills Expert |
You gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Acrobatics, Artistry, Grip, Might, Musicality, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth. |
| Tools Expert |
You gain proficiency with one Musical Instrument or Tool of your choice. |
| Unarmed Combat Expert |
When you use an Unarmed Strike to damage a target, the attack deals an extra 1d4 of the appropriate damage type on a hit. |
| Weapon Expert |
Choose a type of Simple or Martial weapon, such as Spear or Longbow. If you aren’t proficient with the weapon, you gain proficiency with it for the next 7 days. If you already have proficiency with the weapon, you can use its Mastery property for the next 7 days. **I’m not sure we’ll be using Weapon Mastery properties, so if you intend to use this talk to me and we’ll work out a replacement**. |
Trophy Room
Level 9 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: None
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 1
Order: Research (1d6 BP)
This room houses a collection of mementos, such as weapons from old battles, gifts from benefactors, the mounted heads of slain creatures, trinkets plucked from dungeons and ruins, and trophies passed down from ancestors.
When you issue the Research order to this facility, choose one of the following options:
- Research: Lore. You commission the facility’s hireling to research a topic of your choice, or you do the research yourself. The topic can be a legend, any kind of creature, or a famous object. The topic need not be directly related to items on display in the room, as the trophies provide clues to research a wide variety of other subjects. The work takes 7 days. When the research concludes, you obtain up to three accurate pieces of information about the topic that were previously unknown to you. I will determine what information is learned.
- Research: Trinket Trophy. You commission the facility’s hireling to search for a trinket that might be of use to you. The work takes 7 days. When the research concludes, roll a die. If the number rolled is odd, the hireling finds nothing useful. If the number rolled is even, the hireling finds a trinket with a previously unknown magical property. You can decide what the trinket looks like or roll on the Trinkets table in the Player’s Handbook to determine its form. As a spellcasting action, a creature can use the trinket to cast a particular spell, requiring no spell components. Choose the spell from the following list: Clairvoyance, Death Ward, Find Traps, Locate Creature, Magic Weapon, Remove Curse, or Speak with Dead. Once used in this way, the trinket loses its magic.
War Room
Level 17 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Fighting Style feature or Unarmored Defense feature
Space: Vast
Hirelings: See below
Order: Recruit (1d10 BP)
The War Room is where you plan military actions in consultation with an inner circle of loyal Lieutenants, each one a battle-hardened Veteran (see the Monster Manual) whose alignment matches yours. You start with two Lieutenants but can add more, as described below. If your Bastion lacks facilities to house your Lieutenants, they secure accommodations in the inn or settlement closest to your Bastion. These Lieutenants can be pre-existing NPCs or you can make new ones; keep in mind, these NPCs are meant to be loyal and battle-hardened, so I recommend including their history with you, warfare or battle, or some other reason you recruited them as a Lieutenant in the character’s description.
Lieutenants don’t count as Bastion Defenders, but if your Bastion is attacked (see the “Bastion Events” section at the end of this document), each Lieutenant housed in your Bastion reduces by 1 the number of dice you roll to determine how many Bastion Defenders are lost in the attack.
The War Room contains war memorabilia plus a large table surrounded by enough chairs for you and your Lieutenants. When you issue the Recruit order to this facility, choose one of the following options:
- Recruit: Lieutenants. You gain one new Lieutenant. You can have up to ten Lieutenants at any time. Assign names and personalities to them as you see fit; keep in mind, these NPCs are meant to be loyal and battle-hardened, so I recommend including their history with you, warfare or battle, or some other reason you recruited them as a Lieutenant in the character’s description.
- Recruit: Soldiers. You commission one or more of your Lieutenants to assemble a small army. Each Lieutenant can muster one hundred Guards (see the Monster Manual) in 7 days to fight for your cause. Reduce that number to twenty Guards if you want them to be mounted on Riding Horses (see the Monster Manual). It costs you 1 GP per day to feed each Guard and each Horse in your army. Wherever the army goes, it must be led by you or at least one of your Lieutenants, or else it disbands immediately. The army also disbands if it goes 1 day without being fed. Otherwise, the army remains until it is destroyed or you command it to disband. You can’t issue this Recruit order again until your current army disbands or is destroyed.
Workshop
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Prerequisite: Rogue, Bard, or a feature that grants additional Expertises
Space: Roomy
Hirelings: 2
Order: Craft (1d4 BP)
This Workshop is a creative space where all manner of useful items can be crafted.
After spending an entire Field Rest in your Workshop, you gain one Inspiration. You can’t gain this benefit again until you finish a Heroic Rest.
When you issue the Craft order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hirelings to craft one Tiny, non-magical object that can be made using Carpenter’s Tools, Cobbler’s Tools, Glassblower’s Tools, Mason’s Tools, Potter’s Tools, Tinker’s Tools, Weaver’s Tools, or Woodcutter’s Tools. Examples include a Costume, a Gaming Set, a Musical Instrument, a Spellcasting Focus, a bottle, a shoe, or a toy. The work takes 7 days and costs you nothing unless the item is worth 10 GP or more, in which case you pay half the item’s cost.
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